Wythe County, Virginia
Wythe County is a county in Virginia. The population of the county is 29,235. Major roads Interstate 77 Interstate 81 US Route 11 US Route 21 US Route 52 Virginia State Route 69 Virginia State Route 90 Virginia State Route 94 Virginia State Route 100 Virginia State Route 121 Virginia State Route 680 Geography Adjacent counties Pulaski County (east) Bland County (north) Grayson County (south) Carroll County (southeast) Smyth County (west) Demographics As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the county is: 94.22% White (27,545) 3.33% Black or African American (973) 2.45% Other (717) 13.2% (3,859) of Wythe County residents live below the poverty line. Theft rate statistics Wythe County has below average to average rates of Pokemon theft and murder. The county reported 6 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 0.95 murders a year. Pokemon Communities Towns Rural Retreat - 1,483 Wytheville - 8,211 CDPs Fort Chiswell - 939 Ivanhoe - 551 Max Meadows - 562 Unincorporated communities Austinville Barren Springs Bertha Blacklick Blessing Cripple Creek Crockett Eagle Furnace Galena Groseclose Locust Hill Musser Noble Furnace Patterson Petunia Poletown Rackettown Shupe Speedwell Star Cave Walton Furnace Climate Fun facts * Dr. Charles T. Pepper, claimed as namesake of the drink "Dr Pepper", resided in Rural Retreat. * Politically, Wythe County is a strong Republican holdout. * The name Fort Chiswell comes from a frontier fort built in 1758 as an outpost during the French and Indian War. The fort, which was of strategic importance during the American Revolution as the guardpost over a small deposit of lead used to mold bullets, was situated at the junction of the Great Trading Path and the Richmond Road, near the New River. The fort fell into disrepair in the 18th century as both the county seat and courthouse were moved from Fort Chiswell to the county seat of Wytheville, 12 miles to the west. The remaining foundations of the Fort and its surrounding buildings were completely covered over during the construction of I-77 in Wythe County during the 1970s. There is a pyramid shaped historical marker of sandstone situated approximately 200 yards west-northwest of the fort's original location next to the old chicken house. * Noble Furnace is the location of a former iron furnace of the same name (also called the Irondale Furnace) constructed in 1880 or 1881. The cold blast furnace was steam powered and its stack was constructed of stone. The furnace was owned by the Norma Iron Company and utilized primarily limestone ore which was transported from nearby deposits to the furnace via tramway. * Wythe County's Austinville community was founded by Stephen and his brother Moses Austin, father of the famous Stephen F. Austin. In the 1790s the Austins took over the mines that produced lead and zinc; the town was named for the Austin surname, and not for any one particular Austin of the brothers who bore that surname. Lead was mined and shipped throughout the fledgling country; lead shot was also produced. Located near Fosters Falls, Jackson Ferry Shot Tower still stands as a testament to the citizens of Wythe County. Lead was hoisted to the top of the tower using block and tackle and oxen. The lead was melted in a retort and then poured through a sieve at the top of the tower. The droplets of molten lead would become round during the 150-foot descent. The shot would collect in a kettle of water and slave laborers would enter through a 110-foot access tunnel located near the bank of the New River to retrieve the shot from the kettle. The lead mines closed in 1982 due to new United States Environmental Protection Agency standards and the lack of a market for lead. The mines have since filled with water; the main shaft extended in excess of 1100 feet straight down. * Wythe County's location at the confluence of I-81 and I-77 which is, incidentally, a wrong-way concurrency, has led to its growth for industry and tourism. Recently Gatorade and Pepsi manufacturing facilities have located here, primarily due to the ease of access and central location along the Eastern seaboard. There are a variety of travel-related businesses including several hundred hotel rooms, several truck stops, and restaurants located in the county. Tourism takes a variety of different forms in Wythe County. There are numerous opportunities for those that enjoy outdoor activities including a variety of trails, campgrounds, and parks in the area. Its first winery opened in 2006 and a second opened in 2007. A dinner theatre is located in Wytheville. Category:Virginia Counties